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Visitors Review

gradyharp 2012-05-19 17:30:49

War makes us do such things.....

It takes extraordinary courage to place a film like BROTHERS before thepublic, and it is to the credit of director Jim Sheridan that thissuperb study of the effects of war on everyone around the globe is sofine. Based on Suzanne Bier's Danish film 'Brødre' concerning the sametimeframe in the Afghanistan war, this screenplay was successfullyadapted by David Benioff from Anders Thomas Jensen's Danish screenplay.It is delivered in somewhat choppy format, throwing the audience oneminute in the US and the next in Afghanistan, and while it does takegetting used to, this choice of storytelling ultimately workssplendidly, heightening the tension in a very steady unrelenting way. The Cahill family consists of alcoholic, Vietnam Vet father Hank (SamShepard), stepmother Elsie (Mare Winningham) and two brothers -'perfect' athlete and successful USCM Captain Sam (Tobey Maguire) andthe recently released from prison 'worthless' Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal).Sam is departing for Afghanistan, leaving his wife Grace (NataliePortman) and two daughters Isabelle and Maggie (child actress parexcellence Bailee Madison and Taylor Geare). Sam entrusts a farewellletter to his best friend Major Cavazos (Clifton Collins Jr.) in casehe doesn't return. Sam is off to war and is very soon shot down andtaken prisoner by the Afghanis: the report sent home is that Sam hasbeen killed in action. Sam and Private Joe Willis (Patrick Flueger) arestarved, beaten, and abused as prisoners until at one hideous momentSam is instructed to kill the doomed Joe - an act he carries out andabsorbs all the subsequent anguish and guilt that results from his actof survival. At home Grace and Tommy become close: the girls love Tommy, Tommy workson Grace's house, and when the report of Sam's death reaches them theyare bonded even more tightly - despite Hank's hateful attitude towardthe 'failure' Tommy. But when word reaches them that Sam is alive andwhen Sam returns home, the trials begin. Sam is wasted physically andemotionally, forever devastated by his war experience and his guilt.The story form here on must be seen to understand just how bitterlycruel the aftermath of war can be. This is truly an ensemble movie with every character perfectly cast andgiving memorable performances. Few will be able to erase the imagesthat Tobey Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal and Natalie Portman create - andhopefully those bleak images will force some reality testing on theongoing question of the 'worth' of war. A brilliant film. Grady Harp

Cris Kennedy 2012-05-19 04:23:32

Brothers may look like another veteran adjusting to life at home movie, but the heart of this film is a rich exploration of family relationships.

2012-05-16 21:50:08

The Previews for this Party Were Lies

Two brothers - one a screw-up and one a man that serves his country. The soldier has a family of his own that loves him, and the brother that is a screw-up only has his brother to love him. Things change, however, when the world falls apart and the soldier appears dead. Then the other brother brings in people to help with the house, to help with the family, and to try to heal. He screws up some, too, and moves in n his brother's wife by mistake. As this is happening, the soldier is held captive with another soldier and finds himself having to do some horrible things to stay alive.Still, he lives and comes home.When he comes home, he has some horrible things in his mind and, worse still, he sees what his brother has done for his wife. He notes the house and the happiness of the kids and thinks that he has been traded in for a different model. This leads him to think that maybe the world is broken and that maybe the one thing that kept him alive no long needs him.It is horribly sad. The problem with this movie is not in the build or the things that happen as the soldier has to survive or the things that the family does. The kid's acting is great and the things that are done have a natural flow to them. The nightmares make sense, too, as do the things that seem to haunt the jealous clouds. I could see how that could easily play out when a man had only one need when it came to home, and how mistrust would show its head when he found himself needing. The problem I have is how it all comes to a conclusion. you expect one thing and, well, you won't get what you think. You will instead have a happy movie that the commercials lied about and you will think "why." And perhaps the reason is to say that happiness can be secured and perhaps it is to thwart the flow of ugly movies that have soldiers going mad. It has been shown that soldiers are the one type of person we see as going mad more than any other in movies, after all, and maybe that is bad. Maybe, but I still wanted it to get gruesome because it was what I thought I was being promised.O well.Should you rent it? Maybe, if you seem to think this is for you. I would not suggest it, liking it enough to give it a 2.8 or so, but not really happy with that ending. It bothered me a lot, more than I normally let a segment get to me, but I wanted something. Take your chance - a lot of people liked it and maybe you will, too. i simply found it lackluster and, if nothing else, more like an MTV production than anything. I can see the "remake" stamp all over it.

2012-05-16 05:18:55

Leaving the War Behind

One doesn't have to have seen war first hand to know that war can damage the mind as well as the body. This is certainly the case in "Brothers" where a veteran from Afghanistan returns home to small town America as damaged goods.The brothers around which the film is based are Sam and Tommy Cahill. The former is a decorated soldier and the pride of his overbearing father. Tommy, on the other hand, has just been paroled from gaol for robbery. For him, his father has little more than contempt.Sam is shot down in a helicopter while on duty in Afghanistan. He is reported dead. His wife is shattered. However, it is here that Tommy steps up by offering his sister-in-law a helping hand. He is slowly welcomed and his two young nieces come to adore him. It is at this point hat Sam is found not to be dead. He had been held captive by militants and dreadfully mistreated. Effectively, he is a broken man. His return home is a great challenge. He simply can't fit in. He believes his wife and brother to have been having an affair. His whole life unravels. "Brothers" is a modern war film in that it deals not with the action of war per se but its consequences. It does this well. Too often, war movies seem to focus on little more than good versus bad. "Brothers" goes deeper. It directly addresses the issue of how a veteran returns to his community.It is inevitable that "Brothers" will be compared with "The Hurt Locker". In such a comparison, it comes off second best. "Hurt Locker" is a great film. "Brothers" is a good film. Nonetheless, it is well worth seeing as it sheds light on the challenge of coming home but leaving the war behind.

2012-05-08 09:34:18

horrible

The worse movie Ive seen in a while. The casting was completely wrong, there was absolutly no chemistry between any of the actors. The only believable character in the whole movie was the father in law. Toby Maguire; a Captain in the Military?? oh please, He looked like a 18 year old boot camp recruit and acted like it. The movie dragged on and on and on but rushed on other parts and that was due to very bad editing. This was probably a good book but certainly did not play well on camera.

Joaquin 2012-05-07 15:57:30

Truly Oscar-worthy!

This is one of the best movies I have seen in my lifetime because it brilliantly depicts the self-destructive and unbearable guilt many combat war veterans are condemned to live with for the rest of their life. One critic states that the script is a corny tale, but as a Vietnam War veteran who suffers from a severe case of post traumatic stress disorder, I can truthfully say this is not a corny tale! There is nothing corny about serving in a combat zone and then having to live with that for the rest of your life; especially when you have just witnessed the ultimate display of man’s inhumanity towards man. Yes, on the face of it, the script appears to be simple, but in reality it carries a very profound message. I won’t tell you what that message is because I prefer for each of you to figure it out for yourself. Suffice it to say, that the performances by all the actors in this movie are outstanding. However, Tobey Maguire and Bailee Madison (one of the daughters) deserve Oscar nominations. But please believe me when I say that Natalie Portman, Jake Gyllenhaal and Sam Shepherd are also outstanding in this movie.Please see the critic’s reviews for a synopsis of the script.This is a very good Oscar-worthy movie. I give it two thumbs up!

David Nusair 2012-05-01 14:16:57

...a slightly above-average movie-of-the-week.

capone666 2012-05-01 03:41:42

The Vidiot Reviews...

BrothersThe biggest difference between having a brother over having a sister isthat their hand-me- downs don't get you as beat up at your all boysjunior high school.And while the brothers in this drama no longer exchange clothing, theystill benefit from having a male sibling.Recently paroled, Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal) returns home just in time tosee his brother Sam (Tobey Maguire) ship off to Afghanistan. Compelledto keep an eye on his nieces and sister- in-law Grace (Natalie Portman)in his brother's absence, Tommy takes on an even bigger role when Samgoes MIA. But when Sam returns from war, Tommy's intentions towardsGrace are called into questioned.With strong performances all around, Brothers is a quality film aboutthe strange acts committed during wartime on both the frontlines andthe home front.As for moving in on your brother's wife, that's only acceptable ifyou're a twin. (Green Light)

2012-04-27 13:11:52

Not A Brotherly Review

First and foremost, if you're looking for a lot of action and possible explosions, then Brothers will probably bore you to sleep. However, if you're looking for a film that has a lot of drama and some suspense building up to an apex of action, then perhaps Brothers is for you.Brothers is about the model son/father/husband/soldier being called off to war to fight for his country. Sam Cahill (Tobey Maguire) is a "favored son",loving husband, great father and a Captain in the US Armed Forces.His brother Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal) is just returning home from prison from what appears to be a bank robbery. He is not to the son that he was supposed to turn out to be according to his father. This aspect plays out throughout the movie.Natalie Portman (Grace) is Sam's loving wife. She plays a gorgeous and supportive wife and loving mother.When Sam gets called off to war to go to Afghanistan, his life after that will never be the same again. You'll have to watch the movie yourself to determine why. While Sam is away fighting for our country, Tommy is good with Sam's kids and he also seems to fill an emotional void with Grace. Come to find out, Tommy has a secret crush on Grace. Grace and Tommy begin spending a lot of time together while Sam is away. And that time spent together seems to continue even after Sam comes home. Because of what Sam has endured in Afghanistan, he finds it extremely difficult to communicate with his wife and kids. Over time Sam seems to become suspicious of an affair between Grace and Tommy in spite of Tommy bringing another woman by the house. What I will say without giving away the movie is that Sam confronts both his wife and Tommy. The movie builds to an apex from there.In my opinion, Brothers lacked an appropriate ending. Though the drama was intense, there were too many loose ends that weren't tied up to make the movie complete. Everyone involved in the action portion of this film did a stellar job. It's the writers that did the actors an injustice by putting on (what I think) an incomplete movie. I'd give this movie 3 and half stars. You'll like the movie, BUT you're going to be looking for more when the credits start to roll...

Andreas D 2012-04-27 01:48:52

One of the best drama I've seen so far

This movie was very good but it has got too many differences in itsplot but I like it . There are so many excitements in which you can seeelements of great drama . There are so many parts in which are veryinteresting parts . You can't enjoy so much but if you look on thismovie like real film lover . You can be very excited because of lot ofefforts. There are many parts which impressed me because of imaginationand the way how everything passed . I am not fond of these kind ofmovies . I think that this movie is surprisingly good but there aresome parts which are sometimes dull but you can really enjoy . I amimpressed because tomorrow will be premiere in Croatian cinemas . I amnot impressed with their speed but I think that I'll like it .If we look this movie through many exciting parts which this movie isgiving it is great . I think that it first-class drama and sometimesthese all parts of plot . There are sometimes too forced details and Icouldn't enjoy in them . These parts are rare but they screwed greatstory and I would maybe give it 10 but I can't . I watched this moviebecause I wanted to see some real drama . I didn't watch it with somebig expecting but I was very well surprised . There are so good partsand every scene has something in which you can see great excitements .There are so many parts in which you can be calm . This movie has gotpotential to be top drama in cinemas but I don't know it isn't . Maybebecause it is very long time in cinemas but I hope that in Croatia itwill have popularity .There aren't some great scenes but this movie really attracted me . Iread short preview in newspapers so I thought that it will be good . Atfirst sight it didn't attract me so much . I even thought that it willbe some bad movie . I had many bad prejudice for this movie . You cansee that at first sight it isn't so attractive but I can now say thatit is in some hand masterpiece . It is 105 minutes of greatexcitements. There are some movies which are forcing me to turn off DVDplayer but this didn't . I hoped that I will count down seconds to endthis movie nervously but I didn't . Cast is also very good .Jake Gyllenhaal was very good in his performance . He was damn good andvery realistic . He definitely was in his role and his acting was soconvincing . There aren't some parts when his appearance is nerving me.He was in definition of his character . There are some parts when he ismaking this movie better and saving whole impression about this movie.It was very good to see him . I think that his acting was the best partof this good drama . His realistic acting was very good .Natalie Portman again showed how she can be so good . After V forVendetta I didn't expect something excellent but I was very surprised .Her role was pretty hard and every her movement is followed with hersense for this character . I didn't expect so convincing and goodacting . Her mature performance impressed me so much . I would like tosee her next role in some movie . I hope that she will be better . Muchmore better . I mean this isn't bad performance . Of course it isexcellent but it always can be better .Tobey Maguire was maybe pretty solid and his acting wasn't in levelwith previous actors but he was pretty convincing . I didn't understandhis role at all . Maybe because of this he wasn't so good for me but Ican understand . He was sometimes damn good but sometimes he looks likesomeone forced him to act . That is maybe false but it looks like this. There are so many his parts and he could do it better .This movie at all is very good and I am recommending it to everyone .

SidneyPrescott2000 2012-04-25 19:27:17

Flawed, but Still Very Worthy

Brothers is the new film from six time Oscar nominee Jim Sheridan andsurprisingly, his direction is the weak link here. If you seen thetrailer and think it's about a huge affair, it's not. It's on a wholedifferent key than that. It's about the brutal hardship of the effectsof war on not just a person and their mind, but their family. The acting is as solid as ensembles come these days. Natalie Portmanenchants the screen playing Grace with her nuanced and astuteperformance which should've landed her, the second Academy Awardnomination of her career. Of the three leads, Portman is the mostrelatable and I think that's why I was most taken with her. It's safe to say Tobey MaGuire's performance (the complete opposite ofPortman's subtly) is the most controversial performance of this pastyear. Some people claim it's Razzie Award quality, while others sayit's the best of his young career. He worked for me, actually. Thetrick of his performance is the evolution of Sam. Jake Gyllenhaal is the brother in question. He completes the trio ofacting here and he really shines as Tommy. He is given the least towork with, but he gives it his all. Portman's daughter played by BaileeMadison is given meaty scene towards the end that will give you chills.Sam Shepherd, also satisfying in the supporting role of the father. The writing works. It's gratifying the way it avoids the clichés alongthe road, it drives past it. It's special because it shows us theaftermath of war in a believable way. The problem here is JimSheridan's direction. He lazy with the substantial screenplay he'sgiven. One thing from the film I'd change though is the back and fourth fromwar to home life; Brothers feels off balance during the war time . Ithink Sheridan should've cut all the scenes where Sam is in captivityand just have flashbacks of it. It would've been more powerful, in myopinion. Even with it's flaws Brothers is a must-see. The last 15-20 minutes areso gripping and emotionally intense....they shouldn't be missed; 8

Leo Robson 2012-04-25 00:26:01

The result, wavering between intensity and bombast, is part Eugene O'Neill, part topical TV movie.

Diva Velez 2012-04-22 17:33:48

It's tempting to call Brothers a war film, but the war is only a backdrop for any family tragedy. Sheridan and his brilliant cast show deft and sensitive handling of complex and universal issues. Oscar noms abound.

2012-04-22 10:20:02

Anything for an Oscar

Having a friend who had to work some issues out from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and is doing great after love and acceptance from family and friends plus receiving rehabilitation and counseling, Brothers was a great film. It was a good film throughout the movie but crossed into the stupidly absurd at the point of the Marine Captain bludgeoning to death his fellow Marine. So for that reason alone the Hollywood Movie "Brothers" goes from a 5-4 Star Movie to a 1.

Tyy Tad 2012-04-22 04:56:12

frustratingly falls short in the third act

I saw the trailer to "Brothers" about three months ago and I winced atall the things in it: Tobey Maguire was shouting and smashing things upand shooting a gun up in the air in front of a group of policeofficers. This seemed to be a movie of the week drama. Upon seeing it,I'm pleased to note that a trailer can't always be trusted -- becausein the case of "Brothers," it completely forgets to show a potentialaudience how gritty the film is in showing the horrors of war and theloss of innocence in intense situations. Maguire stars as Sam, a manwho has it all: a wife and two gorgeous looking daughters. Upon hisumpteenth deploy into Afghanistan, his helicopter is blown up by theenemy and he is taken hostage with the surviving colleagues. Seeing anempty blown up helicopter, people who stumble on the mess assume thatSam had perished, and sends word to his wife Grace (Natalie Portman).Grace responds tearfully, and spends the rest of the movie huddled upwith Tommy, Sam's brother (Jake Gyllenhaal) -- trying to make sense ofthe situation. The acting in the first two acts combine subtlecrumbling and appropriate disposition; it's almost a shame that Sammust come back in the third act, because the trailer has made it nosecret what will happen then. In fact, this last act seems a directreaction to a screenplay (based off a Danish film) that cowers at thethought of the lofty themes suggested. A tighter script would probablyhave allowed director Jim Sheridan to create a longer lasting portraitover what happens in the most vulnerable state; as it is now, the thirdact seems rushed and overly loud to get the standard anti-war messageacross. It's a shame, because "Brothers" seemed so compelling of a filmto cheat its way into melodramatic oblivion.Rating: *** out of ****

Charles Gant 2012-04-21 07:15:01

Don't be put off by the "Afghan war" tag - Brothers isn't half as harrowing as some of the other awards-bait offerings coming our way. This touching family drama deserves to find an audience.

Cole Smithey 2012-04-14 00:53:57

As Sam, Tobey Maguire undergoes a complete transformation into a mentally traumatized individual, but his excellent performance isn't adequately supported by David Benioff's sporadically amateurish script.

William Goss 2012-04-13 12:38:56

While Jim Sheridan's update isn't terribly different at its core, its all-American setting quietly places a firmer emphasis on the toll of our current war at home.

2012-04-10 03:49:07

Exceptional acting horrible story

First of all I must say the acting from all the primary characters was masterful. The story content however was depressing and fell short at the end. If you're looking for a movie depicting how war makes people do terrible things and ruins families, this is it. If you're looking for something about working thru hard times and pulling thru together, plan to be disappointed. All in all the story felt incomplete. Jake G's character was getting close to being more than an ex-con but never quite got there, ended as a jerk trying to be better. Toby M's actions as a prisoner were inexcusable and dishonorable and not suprisingly haunted him at home. My father was a WWII vet and I am certain down to my toes that he would have died before taking the life of a fellow American soldier to save his own. Fear and being a hostage does strange things to people but Toby's character lost it for me when he took that step. Natalie P's character never quite crosses the line into infidelity but just skirts it, so the love triangle the film leads you to expect falls flat. Good for her but made the movie more of a dud. The story ends on a downturn with Toby M in military custody, mentally unstable and Natalie willing to stay by his side though he can't commit to anything. Overall just plain depressing to watch. Movies don't have to be all hearts and flowers for me to enjoy them, I love a good Clint Eastwood crime flick. Brothers left me irritated with the characters,too many unresolved issues and with nothing positive,no honor at the end. It doesn't really end either, it just stops. At least Clint gets the bad guys in his movies. In Brothers, the good guys turned into bad guys. If it had gone farther, had Toby apologise to the family he destroyed or man-up in court for his actions,it could have been so much better. I'd much rather watch "Band Of Brothers" about real ordinary guys, real hero's. Wish I had rented this instead of buying, doubt I will ever watch it again.

Clint O'Connor 2012-04-09 14:02:53

There is some wonderful acting on display.